I had some Du-Bro 6-32 blind nits on-hand and three rejected (hard maple) presses. My presses measure 5/8" tall, 3/8" wide, and 3" long. After enlarging the holes using an #13 bit, I used my 2-ton arbor press to seat the blind nuts in place. No splitting. As a matter of fact, when I tapped the blind nits out of the rejected presses, the wood chipped at the prongs which indicates a pretty good hold.

Not sure if I'll revisit the presses and install blind nits or not. I just wanted to see if the hard maple would split using the arbor press or not.

EJWash

Not as powerful as an arbour press but a vice might get someone by that does not own a press.. The larger the vice the more pressure is appliable.

Thanks for the suggestion. The customer would be installing the nuts so asking them to grind off hardware isn't how I want to do things.

I'm going to do two things. First, I'll put a page on my site about how to do the modification if the customer wants to do it or already has the presses and doesn't want to send them back to me and wait to get them back.

Second, I'll offer the modification as an additional service that will include all the drilling and hardware.

Thanks for the suggestion. The customer would be installing the nuts so asking them to grind off hardware isn't how I want to do things.

I'm going to do two things. First, I'll put a page on my site about how to do the modification if the customer wants to do it or already has the presses and doesn't want to send them back to me and wait to get them back.

Second, I'll offer the modification as an additional service that will include all the drilling and hardware.

NO problem. Hopefully this thread is serving as a comparison to making your own System versus buying one. All along I've said that I wanted to tackle the challenge of making my own. You can see what it has taken me to do so. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, your prices are a great bargain.

As far as my progress:

- all presses and pads have been finished and are ready for service.
- all fixtures have been stained and are drying.
- 1/2" MDF has been cut for torsion box.

I'm still wrapping my head around the torsion box design. I have to set up a flat surface in order to build a flat surface...

You can always use a few saw horses and shim them until a board lays flat over them. Use a long level.

I built my bench when I left the service and all my stuff was still in storage in another state. All I had was a circular saw and a Yankee push drill. So I chose to make my bench flexible so it could be shimmed flat.

If I build another bench it will probably have a torsion box bench top.

I build stuff like that on the front porch. I do whatever fitting in my shop but when it comes time to actually assemble I like to have lots of elbow room. That keeps my cats from learning adult words and the whole thing is not stressful.

In the video, I notice he doesn't use a radial arm saw (which I find much faster), but rather the table saw, for making all those many crosscuts. A small criticism is his choice of finish for the top--wax--which can contaminate work which will subsequently receive a fine finish or be glued. Also I noticed he didn't bother to apply heavy pressure with the tip of the nailer to ensure contact between the pieces being nailed, something I always do. And he didn't use cauls to evenly spread the clamping pressure when gluing the mahogany frame veneers, nor even pads to keep those decorative pieces from being marred by the clamps.

We used to use wax paper to separate the wood from the plans when glueing years ago. There was some disscussions then of interaction between the wax on the paper and the glue. True or not I do not know but it did sound feasable. I at that time stopped the use of wax paper as a plan separation medium. Those were the days of a lot of stick construction. Like a kit with a 36 inch wingspan was fifty cents.

I also imagine there would be no effect using instant glues but might still be with carpenter types. I was a very early advocate of using the carpenter type glues by the way. The only other practrical adhesive back then was fast drying model aircraft cement. The chemical base of that fast drying cement may have been very fast acting on the wax as well. If nothing else it was strong enough odour wise. I guess I was a glue sniffer before it became a trend. Since you never know what you are missing I wonder how many brain cells I killed. My wife could give an opinion if asked is a given.

My feeling is using jigs the jig is not usually on a glue joint drying so it would be of no real signifigance if true. The transfer of any wax to and from your fingers from the jigs might or might not be depending on what you are doing.

Since the wax is very slow to dissolve into water base glues it may be meaningles. Contamination between parts handled with wax residue from your fingers could reduce the bond strength by adding a semi wax barrier between parts is also a remote possibility I suppose though.

In the video, I notice he doesn't use a radial arm saw (which I find much faster), but rather the table saw, for making all those many crosscuts.

I agree. Especially using a cross-cut sled with long stock. A radial arm or mitre saw would be better in that the stock rests stable on the table.

Quote:

Originally Posted by loNslo

A small criticism is his choice of finish for the top--wax--which can contaminate work which will subsequently receive a fine finish or be glued.

Very true. Maybe he has room in his shop for a finishing table. I was also surprised that MDF is used as the work surface. Its gonna get dinged and stained after a few projects. Guess that would add "character"...

Quote:

Originally Posted by loNslo

Also I noticed he didn't bother to apply heavy pressure with the tip of the nailer to ensure contact between the pieces being nailed, something I always do.

That really got me too. Also the fact that he was just glueing the mahogany to the MDF. MDF - *Medium* Density Fiberboard. Backing the MDF on the inside with "real" wood pieces to run screws through wouldn't hurt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by loNslo

And he didn't use cauls to evenly spread the clamping pressure when gluing the mahogany frame veneers, nor even pads to keep those decorative pieces from being marred by the clamps.

THAT drove me nuts!

In my case, the video served it's purpose - a reference. Now I have a good idea on how to make mine, where before, I had none.